Harris sees red as Eagles see off Town

That enabled the Eagles to join champions-elect Halesowen as one of only two Southern League clubs to have done the double over Daventry so far this season.

Besides Harris’s 12th minute sending-off for retaliation manager Arron Parkinson and his assistant Matt Finlay were also both booked for verbally abusing a linesman, ill-discipline has again returned to haunt Town.

Harris (twice), Aaron King, fiery striker Luke Emery and keeper James Martin have all been red-carded already as Town sink further into the bottom half of the Division One Central table.

Saturday’s dismissal of Harris was foolish in the extreme as the central defender was himself awarded a free-kick for a foul by Bedford’s Jake Newman before lashing out at his opponent.

A three-match ban is sure to follow allow Harris should be available, if required, to face Kettering Town in the NFA Senior Cup final at Sixfields later this month.

Unable to take advantage of a strong tail wind in the first half, ten-man Town inevitably fell behind in the 36th minute to a close-range effort from Newman following a goalmouth scramble.

A solo run by Michael Gyasi just before the interval saw Daventry denied an equaliser by Jamie Greygoose’s save but Bedford went onto double their advantage in the second period.

Newman’s 53rd minute piledriver crashed into an upright but the same player picked up a yellow card only seconds later on handling the ball en route to goal.

Then it was Dan Walker’s turn to hit the woodwork before Dan Hitchcock powered home the rebound despite offside appeals. In the last 20 minutes Greygoose made three good saves to deny Town.